Amusement apparatus.



'TAVAMBLE c0 4 SHEETS SHEET 1.

INVENTORS PATENTED APR. 10, 1906. 0., A. GARLSON & n. H. HAYWOOD.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. LPP LIOATION TILED JAN 6, 1906 WITNESES:

% TTORNEYS BEST AVAiLABLE COP PATENTBD APR. 10, 1906.

0. A. GARLSON & n. H. HAYWOOD. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIGATIOR FILED JAN. 6, 1908.

BEST AVAILABLE COP PAIENTED APR; 10, 1906. c. A. GARLSON & D. H. HAYWOOD.-

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED JN. 6, 1906. 4

lNVENTORS A'TTURNEYS I WITNESSES:

AVAELABLE COP PATENTED APR. 10', 1906.1 0. A. GARLSON A; D. H. HAYWOOD,

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. AYPLIGATION FILED JAN. 6, 1906.

' 4 snnnws-snm 4.

WA 5% A r A. m M Wwm M57? UNITED STATES BEST AVAlLABLE COP PATENT OFFICE.

CHAR-LES A. CARLSON AND DANIEL HOWARD nA-rwo'on or Nnw YoRK, N. r, SAID HAYWOOD AssieNoR TO SAID CARLSON.

to carry passengers accom anying drawings,-illustrating same,

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Lettl ers Patent.

Patented April 10, late.

Application filed anuary 6,1,06. Serial to 294.874.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLESA. CARLSON, a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, and DANIEL HOWARD HAYWOOD, a resident of the city and county of New York, State of New Y ork, citizens of the United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying den-wings, forming a part thereof.'

Our invention relates to improvementsin amusement apparatus, and particularly to amusement apparatus including cars arranged .id to be driven at a high rate of speed. a

O- r-invention also rel tes 'to certain illusioni means employed in connection with the foregoing, as will presently appeari- The main ob'ects of our invention are ,first,' to give passengersa ride at a high rate of speed in selfedriven vehicles of the automobile type with perfect safety; second, to pro-- duce the illusion of a still higher rate of speed, and, third, to'providefor racingbetween a' plurality of such vehicles.

Z'In order that our invention may be" fully u'nderstood,we will now proceed to describe an embodiment thereof withreferenoe to the j and wi 1 their point out the novel features in claims.

, In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a view in' central vertical section through an apparatus constructed inaccordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a View in horizontal scetion therethrough, with certain parts broken 3 is a general diagram showing the contro ng-circu'its for the cars and for the scenery-motor in their simplest form and showing also the lightnig-circuits. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the preferred form of circuits for the motor controls. Fig.

5 is a diagrammatic view showing the two sets of cars under the control of a single operatorin one of .the cars. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a coupling employed. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a modified means for obtaining access to the cars.

In the embodiment of our invention herein -we haveshown a building comprising a main circular structure 10, with two prog'porticosor vestibules 11. Arranged will be readily understood.

within the circular structu 10 are two conc-entric circular endless tracks 12 and 1 3., A

plurality of passenger-cars 14 15 are arranged to run on the said tracks, the cars of each series being connect-ed together by coupling devices 16. The coupling devices comprise" be ll and socket j oints 1 7', giving 1 unive .rsal reiative movements of the parts, and adjustable members 18, by which the distance "between the ball-and socketjcints 1-7 and 1 7 may be. increased or decreased to adj u'st the rela tive positions of the cars. The cars of each set are connected up and the couplings then tightened. until the whole tram of cars in the series is held positively acorn lete ring, where by there willbe no .possib' ity of 'outward movement of the cars due to C'Qiit-Iifl? gal force when the' c'ars are running at a high rate ofgspeeil.

together 'ther 'illbe no undue wearon the 3 flanges oi the outer wheels nor will there be any necessity for raising theouter tracks, for all the centrifugal force generated will be taken care "of by the positive connection ith dihe cars so connected.

above set forth. Safety-chains 19 are pref- I erably provided as safe uards in case anything should hap en to t e couplers.

Surroundin t e tracks and cars thereon I and between't he said tracks and cars'and the stationary" circular wall of the building 10 is another cylindrical wall 20, concentricallyai'ranged with the tracks and arranged to be rotated. Scenery may be represented u on this wall, as is shown in 1* ig. 1. 'lhe'wal 20' is suspended from a superstructure 21, supported bya central vertical shaft 22. This shaft 22 is provided with a suitable stepbearing 23 and with an upper bearing 24, as

This'shzift is arranged to be driven by means of a motor 25, the said motor connected thereto by suitable gearing 26. Uponrotation'. of the shaft the cylindrical "wall 20 will be rotated, aside bearing 27 being provided between the inc-vable wall 20 and the stationary wal of the building 1 0 such bearing being convenient 1y @ball-bearingbr other antjriction device. 'A

tube 28 surrounds the motor'25, gearing 26,

and shaft 22, so as to conceal them from the passengers in the cars 14 and 15.

, F orthe purpose. of ingress and egress to and from ihe interior of the structure We rovide'tunnels 29 beneath thetracks 12 an 13,

the. said tunnels connecting by Stairways 30 the inner Stairways 31 connecting with the interior of the building within the inner circular track 12 the stairway may connect with a s ace between the tracks 12 and 13, as shown in the modification, Fig. 7, and a 'trap door' 32 may be provided, so as tocom:

pletely close the opening to the stairway source of current.

when the cars are running.

The revolving structure is preferably pro vided with suitable electric lights 33, by which the interior of the structure is illuminated, and, further,- the cars themselves may be provided with electric lights in the form of headlights 34, as will be seen more particularly in Figs. 3 and,5, y

The cars are driven by-self-contained motors, one or-niore motors bein employed for each of the series 14 and 15. lhe preferable controlfor the motors is shown in Fig. 4 ,the diagram irfsuch figure representing what is known as general electric control. In this vfigure two motbrsare shown, 35 and 36, 37 designating the controller-commutator,

38 resistance, and 39 the dynamo or other 1 contact in the commutator, represented by the 'char'actersa be (1 e f g h i j.. With the commutator at a the motors arein' series witheaclr other and with all the resistance 38-, at 1) half the resistance is cut out, at c all the resistance is cut out, at d the fields are shunted, at e the motors are still in series 5 with-onel'a nother and with half the resistance,

but the fields are atfull strength, at f and g ',o'ne motor is in series with half the resistance and the other motor is cut out, at h the two motors are in parallel in series with half the resis'tance, at ithe motors are in parallel with all the resistance cut out, and at 9' the motors are in arallel, all the resistance is cut out, and the fields shunted.

Of course other forms of. control may be employed than the foregoin but the foregoing is particularly apphcab e to the present invention, because it will start the heavilyloaded train of cars quietly, easily, and'with greatpower, the connectionsbeing gradually shifted as the speed increases to give the maximum efficiency at the various speeds j'ri ht up to the highest speed'attainable.

n Fig. 3 we have shown a simple form of motor control comprising but a single wire to the motor employed in order'to simplify the circuits and at the same time have shown the circuits for operating the headlights, the building-lights, and thescenery-motor. Re- .ferring now more particularly to this figure, a generator 40 is shown as su plying the current for all purposes, the eel generator being There are ten points of.

SEST AVAlLfrBLE COP grounded throu h a wire 4.1 on one side and connecting on the other side by means of a wire 42 and'a branch 43 with third rails 44 45.

The-third rail 44' supplies current for the train for cars 15 on the track 13, while the third'rail 45 supplies current to the train of cars 14 an the track 12. The current is picked up from the third rail 44 by means of a suitable brush at the end of a wire 46, said wire 46 connecting with the controlling-arm of a controller 47, Another wire 48 leads from the control la 47 to a motor 49 on the car, the current passin thence through the wire 50 to the axle o the car back to earth through the track 13 to a grounded wire 51. For the train of carson the track 12 a wire 52,similar to the wire 46, picks up-current from the third rail 45, connecting with a controller 53 on one of the cars 14, the second wire 54-from i the controller connecting-with a 'motor' 55,

the return-wire 56 from the motor connecting with the axle of the car, thencethrou gh the track 12 to the ounded wire 51. The cars 14 and 15 of eac set may include many mo-.

tors and as many trailers as is desired, electricalconnection being maintained between the cars throughordinary cables 57, (see Fig.

' 6,) as will be well understood by those skilled in the art of electrical propulsion. An operator seated in one ofthe cars 15 andanother operator seated in one of the cars 14 will then by the manipulation of the controllers 47 and- 53, respectively,"control the whole of the two series of cars, so as to stop and start same and 4 to regulate thespeed thereof. 'In this way racing may take place between the. two sets of cars, the relative ower of the two sets of cars being preferab y arranged to be substantially balanced under ordinary conditions, so that theoretically the speed of the two sets of cars will be equal. Running con ditions, however, being constantly variable in accordance with the load and the dis 0 sition of theload, there will be more or ess 'uncertaint in thespeedof running,,as will be desirab e, whereby racing conditions are possible. v I v We'have arranged that the operator in the set of cars 15 in addition to controlli'n the cars upon the track 13 shall also-contro the headlights'34, the buildin -lights 33, and buildingmotor '25. For t 's purpose suitable switches have been. provided in the same car in which the controller 47 is arranged and circuits therefrom, as follows: The headlights 34 of all the cars are arranged in parallel with a line-wire .58, connecte at one end to a switch 59, a wirei60, leading out fromithe switch-to the power-line 46,.connecting with.

the third rail 44. A branch wire 51 connects the lights of the series of cars 14 with the line- .Wire 58 through a'brush and third rail 62, a

the axleof the cars, thence to ground and back to generator- ,The building-lights 33 are arranged in parallel between line-wires 67 and 6 8, .the wire 68 connecting with the wire 41 on'one side of the generator 40 and the wire 67 connecting with a third rail 69, thence through a brush and wire 70 to one point of a switch 71 through the switch and a wire 72 to the conductor 46, thence through the power third rail 44, back through wire 42- to thegenerator 40. The scenery-motor 25 is connected on one side with the wire 41 and on the other side with athird rail 73, up through a Wire 74 to the controller 75, out from the con troller through a wire 76, which connects through the wire 46 with the third rail 44, thence back to the generator 40. It will thus be seen that by manipulating the several controllers and switches 47, 75, 71, and 59 the operator in one of the cars 15 is enabled to control-his own car, the headlights on all of the cars, the building-lights, and the scenerymotor.

While it is usually desirable to permit the two series of cars to be governed by separate operators, one controlling each series, both of the series may, if desired, be governed by the operator in the car 15, and in Fig. 5 we-have shown the circuits so arranged. In this diagrani the circuits for the motor 49 are similar to the circuits in' Fig. 3; but the circuit for the motor or motors 55 in the cars 14 are controlled by a controller 77, specially provided in the car 15, said controller connecting throughabranch wire 78 on one side with the power-wire 46 and on the other side through a wire 79 with a third rail 80. Thethird rail 80 is .in constant electrical communication witliththird rail 45, a wire 81 carrying current from this third rail to the motor 55, which is connected on the other side through. ,a return-wire 8'2 with the car-axle, the current passing thence to ground and back through the'grounded wire 51. By this arrangement the operator in the cars 15 may control both "series of cars, and thus produce ordinary racing conditions by proper manipulation ofthe controllers 47 and 77.

To safely operate this apparatus at a very high rate of speed and at the same time produce the illusion of a still higher rate of'speed, the following order of events and mode of operation may-be observed: We will assume, to start with, that all the parts are at rest and that the. building-lights are switched on. The

passengers from a previous ride will be given exit through one of the tunnels 29, whilethe passengers for the next r1 de will be admitted through'the other one of the said tunnels.

The incoming passengers will be permitted to taketheir places in the cars of the series 14 and 15, occupying all the seats therein, if there are sufficient passengers to fill them, except the seats reserved for the operators. In the form shown in the main figures the passengers will have to pass through the cars 14 to get to the cars 15, while in the modification shown in Fig. 7 the passengers coming up betweenthe cars may directly enter both sets of cars 14 and 15. No more passengers will be allowed to enter the building at one time than can be taken care of in the cars, no one being allowed to stand in the center of the building during the operation of the cars. When the cars have been. loaded and everything is ready to start, the exit and entrance doors will be closed, and if trap-doors are employed to close the entrance from the building to the stair-ways these trap-doors will also be closed. The operator or operators will then start the two series of cars 14 and 15, gradually increasing the speed of the cars by proper manipulation of the controllers. An exceedingly high rate of speed may safely be attained, because by coupling the cars" properly together with the tension-couplers 16 centrifugal force is not permitted to throw the-carsoutward in a direction toward the outer rail. We estimate that'the Scar-s may easi'lyattain a speed of sixty miles an hour, because the power will be all utilized to the best advantage and resistance reduced to a minimum. After the cars have attained a maximum speed and some racing, if desired, has taken place between the two series of cars the buildin li hts may be gradually lowered and the liea lights of thecars only employed. These lights being-rapidly moving will of course flicker considerably and not givin such a steady light as the lights of the bui ding will tend to increase the illusion of speed. At about this time the scenery motor 25 may be brought into action by proper manipulation of the controller 75, the scenery-wall 20 being started in motion in a direction the reverse of the direction of move ment of the cars. This scenery may be easily revolved at a very hi h rate of speed, because there is substantially no resistance to its movement and any noise madeby its movement will be more than drowned by the noise of the cars in their movements. If the scenery is moved round with a surface speed of sixty miles an hour in a reverse direction to the movement of the cars, such cars going seer AVAILABLE cos slightly slackened and, the scenery brought entirely to a standstill are gradually switched on (includmg,1f de sired, the building-lights) the cars may be I Then as the lights gradually brought to rest and there will be no possible way of telling that the scenery has ever move I The cars, it will be noticed, are free and independent of any central rotatin device, having no connection with anyt ing but each other, and that only through the adjustable couplers above set forth.

It is impossible to tell from the exterior of the building that there is any moving scenery, so that the illusion of speed may be absolutely maintained. It will also be seen that the device may be operated with a minimum of dan er to the mum of liability to accident.

hat we claim is 1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with an endless track, and an endless train of cars thereon, the driving means for the cars being self-contained therein, of couplers for the cars, and means for adjusting the length of the couplers to adjust the circumferential length of the ring of cars with respect to the track upon which they are run.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with an endless track, and an endless train of'free and independent cars thereon, of cou lers for the cars, and means for adjusting the length of the couplers to adjust the circumferential length of the ring of cars with respect to the track upon which they are run.

. 3. In an apparatus of the class described, 3 5 the combination with an endless track and an endless train of free and independent .cars' thereon, of couplers for the cars comprisin universal joints and adjustable members, an means for adjusting the length of the cou lers to adjust the circumferential length 0 the ring of cars with respect to the track upon which they are run.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a circular track, and a complete ring offree and independent cars a thereon, of couplers for the cars, and means for adjusting the same to vary the distance between the cars, thereby adjusting the circumferential length of the ring of cars with respect to the track upon which they nun.

5.. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of endless tracks arranged one within the other, of endless trains of free and independent cars upon the tracks, couplers for the cars,'and means for adjusting the length of the couplers to adjust the circumferential lengthof the rin s of cars with respect to the tracks upon W 'ch they run.

the combinatlon with a plurality of concentrio circular tracks, and endless trains of cars upon the said tracks, of couplings for the cars each train, and means or adjusting .the length ofthe couplings to adjust the circumpassengers and a mini-' 6. In an apparatus of the classdescribed,

T AVAILABLE COP ierential length of each train of cars with respect to the track upon which they run.

7. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination of astationary endless track,

an endless train of free and independent cars thereon arranged to travel upon said track in one direction, a movable wall surrounding the said track and cars thereon, and means for imparting movements to the wall in a direction opposite to thedirectionofmovement of the cars. 9

8. In an apparatus of the-class described, the combination of a' stationary circular track and an endless ring. of free and independent cars thereon arranged to travel upon said track in one direction, a cylindrical rotatable wall surrounding the said track and cars thereon, and means for rotating the wall in a direction opposite to the direction of 1 movement of the cars.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of an endless track, an endless train of cars thereon arran ed to travel in one direction, a movable wa l surroundin the said track and cars thereon, a centra shaft and overhead connections therefrom to the said movable wall, a motor for drivin the shaft, and thereby rotating the wall, and a cgncentric tube surrounding the motor and, sha t.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of concentric stationary circular tracks, and endless trains of free and independent cars upon the tracks arranged to travel upon said tracks in one direction, the two said trains bein also independent of each other, a movab e wall surrounding the said tracks and cars thereon, and means for rotating the Wall in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the cars. a

11. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with an endless track of amovable wall surrounding same,a stationary wall-surrounding the movable wall, and a passage beneath the stationary and movable walls from the exterior to the interior thereof.-

12.' In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a circular track, of a cylindrical wall surrounding same, means for rotating the wall, a stationary wall surrounding the movable wall, and a passage beneath the stationary and movable walls from the exteriorto the interior thereof.

13. the combination with a plurality of concentric circular tracks, of a movable wall surrounding same, means for rotating the wall, a stationary wall surrounding the movable Wall, and a passa e beneath the stationary and In an apparatus ofthe class described,

movable wal s leading from the exterior to the interior thereof.

14. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with an endless track, and

endless train of cars-thereon arranged to travel in one direction, of a movable Wall surrounding the said track and cars thereon,

rounding the movable wall, and a passage be.

neath the stationary and movable walls leading from the exterior to the interior'thereof.

15. In an apparatus of the class described,"

the combination with an endless track, and a train of cars thereon, of a movable wall surrounding same, a motor for the train of cars, a motor for the movable wall, and means for controlling both the motors from the train of cars.

. ,16. In an apparatus'of the class described,

:the combination with an endless track, and

an endless train of cars thereon, of a movable w-all surrounding same, a motor for driving the train of cars in one direction, a motor for rotating the movable wall in the opposite direction,-and"rneans for, controlling both the motors from the train of cars. l

17. In an apparatus of the class described,

thecombinat1onwith an endless track, a car thereon, a movable wall entirely surrounding the track, meansfor rotating the car, in one direction and the wall in the other direction,

and controlling means for both said driving means arranged upon the car. m 18. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination ,with an endless track, and a car thereon, of a movablewall surroundin same, illuminating means carried by the wal means-for'rotatin the car in one direction and the wall in t e other, and controllin means for the illuminating means, arrange.

upon the car.

19. In an apparatus of the class described, the combinatlon with an endlesstrack and a car thereon, of a movable wall surrounding the same, illuminating means carried by the wall, a motor for the car, a motor for'the movable wall, and means for controlling both the motor and the illuminating means from' the car.

20. In an a paratus of the class described,

the combination with a plurality of concentric circular tracks, and endless trains of cars surroundin same, motors for operating the two trains o cars independently of each other,

. trio tracks, and endless trains 0 cars there-- :on, of a concentric clrcular wall surrounding the tracks, motors for the trams of cars carried thereby, a motor for the movable wall,

and means for controlling the motor for the movable wall from one of the cars.

a 22. In an apparatus of the class descrlbed,

controlling the said motor and the illuminat-- ing means from one of the cars.

the combination with a pluralit of endless traclcs, and cars thereon for in ependently drlvlng the cars on the different tracks, of

means for controlling the cars on all the tracksjrom a car on one of the tracks.

24. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of endless tracks, and endless trains of cars thereon, of a driving meansfor drivin the several trains independently of each 0t er, and means for controlling thedriving means from one of the trains of cars. a

25. In an apparatus lof the class described, the combination with a plurality of concentric circular tracks, a (1 cars with self-contained motors arrang d to run upon the tracks, of controlling eans arrangedin one of the cars, for controllin the motors ofthe cars upon the several trac 26. In an a paratus of the combination with a plurality of concentric endless tracks, cars upon the several tracks, and a movable wall surrounding same, of means for driving the cars upon one track independently of the cars upon another track, controlling meansuponone of the cars the cars for controlling the motors of the cars' on the several tracks, controlling 'means on one of the cars for controlling the illuminating means, and controlling means upon one of the cars for controlling the wall-motor.

Witness my hand this-3d day of January, 1906. f I

CHARLES l. OARLSON. Witnesses:

U. C. SGHLilGHTNER, CLARENCE B. SMITH.

Witness my hand this 5th day of January, 1906. i v DANIEL HOWARD. HAYWOOD. Witnesses: I

C. F. CARRINe'roN,

LYMAN S. ANDREWS, Jr.

AVAILABLE cos y 23. In an apparatus of the class described,

the class described,

'for controlling the cars u on the several- 

